Attention all millennials: Chip ‘n Dale is back on the big screen. I repeat: the beloved Rescue Rangers are back, but this time with a modern and satirical twist. Released to Disney+ on May 20, the famous chipmunk duo takes the screen for what can only be described as an ultimate animation mashup in the new and improved Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.
The film features the famous pair after their acting contracts have expired and they are no longer A-list celebrities in Hollywood. Viewers follow them in the “real world” as we begin to understand the parameters around why their successful T.V. series came to a close. It shows what I would imagine is a pretty accurate depiction of washed-up celebrities. Much of the film does just this: it mimics the Hollywood world but puts an animated spin on it. Viewers are reminded that the celebrities we see on-screen or on red carpets are sometimes horrible people behind closed doors and many of them should not be idolized as role models.
The main plot of the film follows Chip and Dale working together to solve police work as famous cartoons are being “bootlegged” on the black market. The concept is actually quite hilarious, as viewers get to see a variety of bootlegged film concepts such as Ariel’s fish buddy, Flounder, being cast in “The Small Fish Lady.” It is entertaining and somewhat mocking of the knock-off spoof films we see today.
What’s really special, though, is the broad range of characters that the film includes. Besides Flounder, the film features many classic Disney cartoon characters like the Coca-Cola bear, Clarabelle Cow, Roger Rabbit, Phineas and Ferb’s mom, and Pumbaa from The Lion King. Even “Ugly Sonic” makes an appearance and shares critics’ commentary of how undesirable — and for lack of a better word, ugly — he is. His character includes everything from the bizarre little nose to the freakish human-like teeth. My personal favourite, though, is the film’s antagonist, Peter Pan, who has grown up, smokes cigarettes, and rocks a plump beer gut.
The wide array of characters was not only interesting because all the classics were set in one movie, but because each of them expressed how being the “best” version of themselves often meant that they needed to look the best. For example, Peter Pan loathed growing up because it made him less “appealing” to the public. His appearance no longer was deemed socially acceptable or beautiful and he contributed this to his self-worth. Many of the characters also underwent what was known as “CGI surgery,” which transformed one’s appearance from one animation style to another. This all stems from what they believed would make them socially accepted.
Visually, this film is incredibly entertaining because it blends both live-action and animation on the screen. It has every style of animation Disney has ever developed, from the black and white Mickey Mouse era to the obscurely realistic The Polar Express fiasco, but it is set in real-world L.A. I’ll admit, at first it is a bit strange to watch, but it is this strangeness that kept me fully engaged and entertained from start to finish. Each character who represents a different animation style often mimics the commentary of critics and acknowledges how “terrible” their animation is compared to the latest rendition. It alludes to the idea that there is always a version of yourself that could be better but we are unable to recognize it in the moment.
While the film makes a joke about it, there is no doubt that it mimics the current trends of plastic surgery and the expectations that social media set out in our own world. It reminds viewers that no matter what procedures someone does to change their appearance, or how large of a following someone has online, it speaks nothing to the person they are inside. And yes, this is an incredibly cheesy take-away, and I’ll admit that there are not very many moral lessons in the film, but it brings forward a refreshing take on popular crazes.
Although this movie is certainly kid-friendly, given the simplicity of the plot and creative visuals, many of the insinuations and jokes that the script makes definitely appeal to an older audience. Many youngsters likely wouldn’t catch all of the cartoon cameos or ironies in the scenes, but I think that is what makes this film so great. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of me watching early morning cartoons. I was carefree and certainly not under the same amount of stress or pressure that I am at 25. Rescue Rangers brought me back to those moments of simplicity in my life by reminding me of all of the characters that I loved so much as a child. Honestly, it just brought a smile to my face and reminded me to slow down and relax, and what more could you ask from a classic like Chip ‘n Dale?
Sydney is a BA English major, creative writing student, who has been a content contributor for The Cascade and is now the Opinion editor. In 7th grade, she won $100 in a writing contest but hasn’t made an earning from writing since. In the meantime, she is hoping that her half-written novels will write themselves, be published, and help pay the bills.
